A Texas Department of Transportation project widening a portion of FM 149 running through Montgomery’s Historic District has become a cause for concern among business owners who do not want to lose parallel parking spaces or sales revenue during construction.

According to TxDOT, the $6.9 million project targets a roughly 1.12-mile portion of FM 149 between Hwy. 105 and FM 1097. The project includes widening the roadway to create a left-turn lane and adding brick-paved sidewalks, landscaping and underground drainage improvements.

Construction will be completed in two phases, starting at Hwy. 105 and moving north, TxDOT Public Information Officer Emily Black said. The project is expected to go out for bid in November, with construction beginning in January and taking 12 months to complete, Black said.

Kambra Drummond, owner of the Rustic Cashmere boutique in the historic district, said shops along FM 149 will lose parallel parking spaces for customers, and she is concerned construction could negatively affect sales revenue if traffic is rerouted.

“We as a group [of business owners] are not opposed to the road being improved,” Drummond said. “We’re opposed to the fact that our businesses are going to be affected considerably because the road is going to be closed.”

To assist business owners, the city has proposed using $3,000 from the Montgomery Economic Development Council’s budget to pay for advertising for the historic district’s shops while parts of FM 149 is closed, Montgomery City Administrator Jack Yates said.

To address parking concerns, TxDOT is trying to match existing driveway widths to reduce the number of eliminated parking spaces, Black said.

TxDOT is also working to allow one lane of traffic on FM 149 between Caroline Street and Clepper Drive during construction; however, through traffic on FM 149 between Hwy. 105 and Caroline would still be rerouted, Black said.

“TxDOT takes the public’s comments seriously and, in this case, we were able to alter some of our original plans to incorporate their input,” Black said. “We are proud of our partnerships with the city and businesses in the area and appreciate their patience and willingness to work with us to get this project done.”